I've been playing around with GNU/Linux for quite a while, but have never tried Mandrake or Mandriva. I'm wondering how is the new 2006 Desktop/LX model.

The first thing is, how the package management in Mandriva? I'm used to Debian's apt and Slackware's tgz style packages, so I can hold my own when it comes to package management, but was looking for something more like apt since it's a lot easier. I've never tried any RPM-based distros, so please be more specific than it's RPM-based.

I've heard the LX model is very user friendly, which is good for what I'm looking to do with it (become a replacement to XP). What I really want to know here is, how are the packages that come with the CD set? I know it comes with KDE, but I really don't like Koquerer and some other KDE applicatons, does it offer Firefox and other non-KDE programs with the install? How is the initial install? I really don't need it installing 2GB of crap, and would actually like to have some say on what is installed, is that possible?

10-18-2005

fingal

Hi - It's quite easy to decide which packages you do or don't want on Mandriva using the 'Configure my Computer' menu option - usually refered to as the Mandriva Control Centre or MCC for short.

There are options to install/uninstall or update packages from sources which you can specify yourself. The cd or dvd your OS arrives on is there by default (as a source) and you should be able to connect to various mirror sites for updates and installations. The initial install? You can choose what you want if you decide to do a more advanced installation ... Or remove things later: this is painless.

From the command line you can use urpmi to install, update, specify mirrors etc. My own urpmi installation is broken at the moment (at least, not fully functional) but that might be my own fault :)

I haven't yet tried 2006, but reviews look promising and if I've read them correctly there should now be more ways to install packages - I believe it will be possible to use some sort of apt* and Slackware installation methods. Sorry to be vague about that, but I think this is right.

Firefox will indeed be an option for you, and you could use urpmi to install it and all its dependencies. The same is true for Thunderbird. The Mandriva model is to blend 'bleeding edge' software with stable releases, so in practice you get a solid distro with a few bugs here and there.

You don't have to use KDE of course. Gnome, Fluxbox, Blackbox, WindowMaker. The choice is - thankfully - yours.

* apt4rpm developed by Conectiva

10-18-2005

TheGreen

MDV 2006 is by far the best version for desktop from Mandriva to date ADDEDin my opinion. You should def. give it a try. I have been using Mepis on my laptops, and Vector SOHO (slackware based) on my PC's for a while now, I have used Mandrake / Mandriva on my servers for a long time. After bringing up a new server on MDV 2006, I decided to try in on one of my PC's. I really like it. I am going to try it on one of my laptops next.

10-18-2005

Ghiblinet

Mandriva 2006

Mandriva 2006 it's NOT the best distro of Mandriva!! I've tried all of them and indeed the best one it's Mandriva 2005...There are some problems in 2006 that there weren't in 2005. For example, it's difficoult for me to see a dvd, even if l install the libcss and libdvdcss from PLF...I've a scsi cdrom and before, in 2005, only changing the drive with the path /dev/sr0 , I could see every dvd that I wanted!! NOW IT'S IMPOSSIBLE: and I'm not the only one in this situation!! After there is another small problem: I'm used with Mozilla, and mozilla firefox it's not the same for me!! I tried to install mozilla-1.7-11: nothing to do! It doesn't work! I'm thinking seriously to reinstall the old 2005!!

10-18-2005

fingal

Re: Mandriva 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghiblinet

Mandriva 2006 it's NOT the best distro of Mandriva!!

Well it's a fact that sometimes 'upgrading' will break things. I think that a lot of people are in search of the perfect distro ... There isn't one!

10-19-2005

bidi

Well, I'm really not that demanding! To me a browser is a browser, as long as it's safe. I don't use mail programs (I have gmail, and just check stuff online). I do watch a heck of a lot of movies, but they're all dvix. Probably my biggest concern would be hardware detection and codecs. Ease of use is always welcome too, since I'm still looking for that one distro that can replace WinXP around the house.

10-19-2005

TheGreen

Quote:

Originally Posted by bidi

Well, I'm really not that demanding! To me a browser is a browser, as long as it's safe. I don't use mail programs (I have gmail, and just check stuff online). I do watch a heck of a lot of movies, but they're all dvix. Probably my biggest concern would be hardware detection and codecs. Ease of use is always welcome too, since I'm still looking for that one distro that can replace WinXP around the house.

Well, I will try one more time. This post was a little different than your first. Here goes... Out of the distros I have used, if you just want a great out of the box workstation, I really like Simply Mepis and Vector SOHO. Also as I said MDV 2006 is great, but since Mepis and Vector are one CD you should really give them a try too. So again this is My Opinion only.

Mandriva 2006 it's NOT the best distro of Mandriva!! I've tried all of them and indeed the best one it's Mandriva 2005...There are some problems in 2006 that there weren't in 2005.

I have to agree.. 2005 is the most stable OS I have EVER used.. really.. 2006 for now has some bugs which are stopping me from moving, but im sure that these will be sorted out sooner than later..

10-23-2005

jen1963

2006

I just upgraded from 10.1 to 2006 and love it..KDE 3.4 ROX!!!
I built my Frankenbox to be Linux compatable to begin with so I haven't had any major glitches yet.

11-01-2005

yoron

I've just installed it on my laptop Paceblade 600 Mhz with transmeta_cpu.
I like it, they are using new tecnology for speeding up the GUI wich do make a difference, at least on my cmpta. And as long as you use the option to install your Isos on your Linupartition you have full access to whatever changes you want to do thereafter. But you cant boot it from diskett ;( .

And the support for IR wireless keyboards seems not to work to well. Maybe it's just me wanting a swedish keyboard_setting but half of my keyboard keys are missing when using this distro. I'm gonna install it with english keys as first choice instead to see if has to do with a wrongly implemented keymap or if it has to do with the s_ware for Wireless.

But it is very nice looking and has a faster GUI, Ice_wm if you like.
Also it's one of the few left that you still can install via diskette from your downloaded isos on your vfat_partion and then create your linux_partitions.